Bale-band tightener.



G. M. WILLIAMS.

BALE BAND TIGHTENER.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 19. 1915.

Patented Deb. 9, 1919.

IIIIIIIZ'IIIM Witnescg:

@Ej u UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEGRGE M. WILLIAMS, 0F ELIZABETH, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOB TO P. LOBILIJARD COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A. CORPORATION OF NEW ERSEY.

BALE-BAND TIGHTENER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 9, 3919.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Gnonon M. WILLIAMS, a'citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Elizabeth, in the countyof Union and State of New Jersey, have invented new and use ful Improvements in Bale-Band Tighteners, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain novel and useful-improvements in a tool for stretching and tightening metallic straps or bands about bales, boxes and other forms of packages.

' To effectively and securely apply a metallic band or strap to a package, especially when the latter possesses any degree of flexibility, resiliency or compressibility, the ends of the strap or band should be pulled or drawn toward each other by the exercise of considerable tension on such ends, and this tension should be maintained while the ends are being joined by a suitable fastening device.

In the present instance it is my purpose to provide a tool or implement through the agency of which the stra or band may be drawn taut about the pac age and the ends brought into overlapping relation and held in such position while the fastening device for securing the ends together is bemg applied.

The tool or implement constituting this in-- vention is particularly adapted for tensioning and holding the strap or band on the package with the ends of the strap or band in overlapping relation, and when these ends are so correlated they may be securely and conveniently joined y means of an eyelet such as formsthe subJect matter of my Design Patent, 16,487, dated September 29, 1914, and which eyelet may be applied by means of the upsetting tool set forth in LettersPatent, ,123453, granted to me Dece'r'nber 29, 11 1 1. However, I wish it to be anuerstoodthat this teal may be need under eenditibnswhereit is desired to tehsien he strap er an and brea he endst e la ter is faxtrpesitien; but se into evens-pi iiii "ldb 11 lm ances', h c" pt y we I "f'o'wn item of bale-gag le saitaglg iiir manag ng-e. I else-pit. to price: 0 this as as Eli aracterwh c willembed" i b 1 t g l i 'd ratui esflof snap any ans '1 eyes oiehoy and through the niediuin of which t the ehds-,, iihdor sash, entanree'vje 8, the latter or band may be rapidly, safely and neatly secured about the package and under the proper tension.

With the above recited objects and others Of..a:S11ll1l2LI nature in view, my invention consists 1n the construction, combination and arrangement of parts set forth in and falling wlthin the scope of the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings Flg'ure 1 is a view showing the tool in use on a box or bale to which a strap or band is being applied, the ends of the latter being brought into overlapping relation.

Fig. 2 is a view of the opposite side of the tool from that shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view.

Fig. 4 is a view in side elevation with one of the side plates of the body or frame removed and showing the interior rack and pinion construction.

Fig. 5 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 55 of Fig. 8.

Figs. 6 and 7 are detail'perspective views of the parts of one of the clamps.

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the overlapping connected ends of a strap or band" which have been fastened by an eyelet after the strap or band has been tensioned by means of my device.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings in detail the letter A indicates the body portion or frame of the tool as an entirety, this frame, as well as other parts of the tool, being preferably constructed of suitable metal, such as tool steel and constituting a support. This frame includes the base plate 1, the under face of which is adapted to rest or seat on the package being strapped, and the rack and pinion housing 2. This hous- 1n rigid with the base plate and having an enlarged central section 4 provided with an approximately circular recess 5 adapted to accommodate the, toothed pinion 6 which is mounted upon the inner end ofthe shaft 7. This. than 7 extends transversel through and is siiporte'd l'iy the enlarge s ctional braw ha s any wn iii- 15 6* h anwi e' --Ana owe 5 baths fate t eloht' c i' i s tra way for meaning rack, bar 9,,theteeth or which meet with he teeth of the, pinion caswni be readily understood. The side plate 11 parties t tiidi'nal slot 56? bly attached to the wall 3 by suitable screws or bolts as shown at 12.

5 such wall is cut away as at 14, so that when the side plate 11 is in position a space or way 15 results in which may travel the block l6 integral with-one end of the rack bar. The plate 11 opposite the cutaway portion of the wall 3 is provided with a pair of'longitudinally extending parallel slots shown at 17 and 18.

In the construction of my improved tool, I employ a pair of clamping devices indicated at B and respectively. The clamping device B is stationarily or rigidly secured to the body or frame A'adjacent one end portion of the latter, andthis clamping device is ada ted in use to'hold one end of the strap or and, while the clamping device G is movably connected with the opposite end portion of the frame or body A, and is adapted to grip or clamp the opposite end of the strap or band. It will be understood that the clamping device C is adapted to be shifted or moved relative to the clamping device B so that the two ends of the band or strap may be drawn into overlapping relation. As hereinafter described the clamping device 0 is connected to and movable with the rack bar,

and in addition has a limited amount of plaiy or movement relative to the rack bar.

hese clamping devices B and 'C have certain structural features in common. For instance, each embodies an angular member 19 and a swinging or pivoted cam member 20. Each angular member includes a ver tical plate 21 adapted tolie against the side plate 11 and a horizontally and outwardly extending footplate 22. adapted to cooperate with the toe section 23 of the cam member C 1S prefposition as real plate 21 of the mngular memclamping device r of alining elongated slots at tllfwdgll i ich pass the screws 2'2", these screws also passing through the lower elongated slot l8 in the side plate 11 of the The wall 3 between the enlarged central section and one end of.

dered section 40 of the shaft. 7, a

provided housing, the shanks of the screws being socketed in the block 16 of the rack loar. Above the slots 26, the vertical plate is formed with a relative long elongated slot 28 through which passes the relatively long pin 29, the shank of this pin also passing through the upper elongated slot 17 in the side plate 11 and is connected with the block 16 of the rack bar. The outer end .portion of this long pin 29 extends above the foot plate of the angular member of the clamp, and also extends through the elongated slot 30 formed in the cam member of this clamp C. i

By this manner of connecting the clamp member C with the rack bar, it will. be seen that not onl will such clamping device C move. with t e rack bar when the latter is operated, but may also havea limited amount of movement relative to such rack bar, thereby enabling the gripping action.

by obviating the liabilty of such band end slipping or pulling through the clamping device.

In order to actuate the pinion and thus shift therack bar I rovide a hand lever 31, the lower end of w ich is bored as at 32 for the passage of the interiorily threaded sleeve 33 and through this sleeve is adapted ,to pass the reduced threaded end 34 of the shaft 7. The outer end of the sleeve 33 has fast therewith a small ratchetgear 35 which is adapted to be engaged by the awl 36' pivoted as at 37 to the lever 31.- .he opposite or inner end of the sleeve has=fast therewith a small collar 38 which is recessed to receive the enlarged or shoulpin 41 fastenin the collar to the shaft 7. This shaft 7 as also mounted thereon the gear wheel 42 fast with such shaft, while .43 indicates a bearing collar interposed between this gear 42 and the adjac nt face of the wall 3 of the frame. A dog 44 is pivoted as at 45 to the wall 3, the tooth of this dog being adapted to engage with the teeth of the gear 42 so as to hold the latter against back lash or backward rotation as will be readily understood, a-sma-ll hand grip 46 being employedfor moving the dog out of engagement with the gear when desired.

From the above description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings the stretching and tightening a strap or band about a bale or other package, such tool is positioned as shown in Fig. 1 so that the base plate and the foot platesof the tool will rest on the top of the package. The ends of the band are then insertedbetween the cam members. and the foot plates of the clamping devices, and such cam members swung or moved to locking position so that the toes of these cam members will grip and bind the ends of the bands against the foot plates of the clamps. The ends of the bands thus being secured the hand lever is'operated so that the pivoted pawl will engage the ratchet wheel and turn the latter. As this ratchet wheel is fast with the sleeve, and as the sleeve in turn is connected through the collar at its end with the shaft 7, such shaft will be turned and a rotary motion imparted to the pinion, this movement of the,

pinion in turn being transmitted to the rack liar so that the latter will move or slide in the housing. As the end of the rack bar carrying the block 16 is drawn inward, the

clamping device (3 will be drawn toward the clamping device B, thus ulling on the band or strap and bringing the two endsof the stra into overlapping relation. When this has been accomplished, and the gear wheel 42 and consequently the shaft 7 is locked against backward rotation by means of the dog 44, the band will be held securely in position although under tension. An eye- .let E may then be employed to connect the ends of the band by a suitable upsetting tool, as illustrated in my prior Patent #1,123,153 above mentioned. It will be seen that owing to the fact that the overlapping ends' are held above or clear of the surface of the baleor package by means of thefoot plates, sufiicient room exists to enable the upsetting tool to be em-- ployed to apply the rivets forconnecting the ends of the straps, without interference with the operation of such tool by the body of the bale and therefore the band or strap may be drawn taut and fastened securely, quickly and conveniently. 7

After the overlapping ends of the band have been riveted together the device may be removed by simply releasing the pivoted cam members which ip the ends of the band.

While I have erein shown and described one particular embodiment of my invention I wish it to be understood that I do not confine myself to the precise details of construc tion herein-set forth by way of illustration, as modification and variation may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention o'rexceeding the scope of the appended claims. I

What I claim is 1. In a tool of the class described, the combination with a frame having a face adapted 1 to rest on the package, of a rack bar sliding in the frame, a clai'nping device connected to and movabl with the rack bar and adapted togrip one end of a band, a second clamping device connected with the frame and adapted to grip the opposite end of the band, each clamping device including a relatively thin plate member carrying a gripping surface insertible between the band and the opposed package face, and means for actuating the rack bar to draw on end of the band toward the other end.

:2. In a tool of the class described, the combination with a frame having a face adapted to rest on the package, of a slidable rack bar movable on the frame, .a clamping device loosely connected with the frame and i also connected to the rack bar and adapted to travel with said rack bar, a second clamping' device stationarily mounted on the frame, each clamping device including a relatively thin plate member carrying a gripping surface. insertible between the band and the opposed package face, and means for actuating the rack bar to move the clamping device carried thereby relative to the stationary clamping device.

. 3. In a tool of the class described, the combination with a frame having a face adapted to rest'on the package, of a pair of clamping devicesconnected therewith, said devices being mounted in alinement and adapted to grip the opposite ends of a band,

each device including a relatively thin plate member carrying a gripping surface insertible between the band and the opposed package face, and means supported from the frame and connected with one.of the clamp ing devices for moving the same relative to the other clamping device.

4. In a tool of the class described, the 195 combination with a frame, of means carried by the frame for holding one end of a band, a clamping device mounted on the frame for clamping the opposite end of the band, each device including a relatively thin plate member carrying a grippin surface insertible between the band an the opposed package face, a sliding member carried by the frame, said device including a pair of gripping elements one of which is pivoted on the other, both of said elements being connected to said sliding member, and means for actuating the sliding member to cause the movement of the clamping device.

5. In a tool of the class described, the combination with a supporting frame, of a pair of alining clamping devices carried thereby and adapted to grip the opposite ends of a band, each clamping device including an angular plate one of said plates being slidably mounted on and guided by said frame, and a cam member pivoted to one portion of the angular plate, and. c0 operating with the other portion of the angular plate to grip the band, and means operatively engaging both plate and member'of one of said devices for moving it relative to the other clamping device.

6. In a tool of the class described, the combination with a frame, of a clamping device carried by the frame, and including an angular member slidably mounted on and guided by said frame and comprising a 'ver tical plate, and a relatively thin horizontal foot plate and a cam member pivoted to the vertical plate of the angular member.

7. In a tool of the class described, the combination of a frame including a base adapted to rest upon a package, a housing mounted upon the base, a clamp rigidly connected'with the housing and having an element adapted to support one end of a band above the adjacent face of the package, and a second clamping device loosely connected with the housing and also having an element adapted to support the other end of the band above the adjacent face of the package, and means for actuating. the last mentioned clamping device to draw one end of the band toward the other end.-

8. In a tool of the class described, the

combination with a base having a seat face, a housing mounted thereon, a rack bar slid able in the housing, means including a pin ion for reciprocating the rack bar, a clamping deviceloosely mounted on the housing and also connected with the rack bar to move with said rack bar and a second clamping device connected with the housing and spaced apart from but arranged in alinement with the first mentioned clamping device, each device including an element having a face substantially flush with said seat face. 1

9. In tool of the class described, the combination with a base plate, of a housing mounted upon said base plate, a slidable rack bar and a pinion located .within the housing, a shaft for said pinion, means in- 1 eluding a lever and a pawl andratchet mechanism for rotating the shaft to actuate the pinion, a clampin device rigidly fastened at one outer wail of the housing, a second clamping device arranged in alinement with the first mentioned clamping device, and means extending through said outer wall of the housing for connecting the second clamping device with the rack bar whereby upon the movement of the rack bar said second clamping device may be moved relative to the first mentioned clamping de- Vice.

1O. In a tool of the class described and in combination, a support, a reciprocating member carried by the support, and a gripping device slidably mounted on and guided by the support and comprising a pair of gripping elements pivotally connected to provide gripping action, and means for connecting both elements to said member to permit movement relative thereto.

11. vIn a tool of the class described and in combination, a support, areciprocating member'carried by the support, and a gripping device com rismg a pair of gripping elements pivota ly connected to provide gripping action, and means for connecting both elements to said member; said means including complemental pin and slot connections whereby one element may move pivotally relative to the other element to nesses.

GEORGE M. WILLIAMS. lVitnesses: V

WM. B. RHETT, .WILLIAM B. LEONARD. 

